Moe’s Alley
1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95065
Moe’s Alley Menu
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Address :
1535 Commercial Way
Santa Cruz, CA, 95065 - Phone (831) 479-1854
- Website https://www.moesalley.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :Closed
- Mon : Closed
Tue
Specialities
- Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Ages Allowed : 21+
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Loud
Music : Live
Good For Dancing : Yes
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Has TV : Yes
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L. T. M.
Went here for a Cumbia dub show this last weekend. It was my first time and I will be back. The staff is super professional and chill. I did not catch the doorman's name however he was super cool. Carla is a cocktail server and very good at her job. Most places the service is at best ok but I was very pleased. The music was dope also.
(5)Radostina S.
I love this place. They always have great music. The smoking area outside is always fun to make friends. I've met many interesting people there. The drink prices are pretty good. I've never thought, "WTF?" That's always a good sign.
(4)Magz V.
Moe's is great i felt like i was at a friend's house that happened to have live music in their backyard. My friends and i were there to see Mango Kingz/Anuhea/Rebel Souljahz. They all had great sets which made the night fly by. The wide open doors to the patio helped the air circulate a lot so it was never extremely hot the way some places can get because the breeze was hitting just right. One of our concerns on this Saturday was the fact that the 2nd half of the Golden State Warrior game was going to be on at the same time as the show. We are talking GAME 7 type epicness and everyone i was with are big Warrior fans so when we found out the game was on the same time as the show we were quite bummed. Awesomely tho, Moe's had one TV on at the bar showing the game for those of us who were in dire need of watching the game. By the time my friends and i got to Moe's Alley i had stopped drinking because i was the DD for the night so i figured i'd get a water/soda at the bar. No big deal i never mind being the designated driver especially since we had to drive thru 17 to get back to San Jose at the end of the night. I wasn't taking any chances. The bartender must have overheard my convo with my friends because he said my soda was on the house for being a safe designated driver. I mean i know it was only like a $2 soda but i thought that was very nice of him to do. Kudos for that Mr.Bartender! I'd love to check out a show at Moe's again in the future!
(5)Ashley L.
Moe's Alley has great acoustics for when you're visiting to see a band. In fact, that's the only time I have ever been to this place. I came once to see Prezident Brown, and most recently to see the California HoneyDrops. Both shows were a packed house, with just enough room to sway with a partner. It gets really hot in there with all the people, low ceilings and no fans don't help the situation. Outdoor bar and "smoking" area is a nice relief from the mass of sweaty bodies everywhere inside. Bartenders have always been attentive and helpful. There needs to be more bathroom stalls - typical bar setup. Feed you drinks, make you stand in line for hours to pee.
(4)Pearl V.
I love Moe's! It feels more like you're at a house party than it does a concert... Intimate and cozy! Been to a couple reggae concerts with my crew at this venue and it gets pretty live in here. No problems with the venue; the door guy was cool, bartenders were cool, and the acoustics are great. Just good vibes all around! A great place to come see up and coming artists before they blow up and go mainstream! Only complaint is that the line for the women's bathroom is always long because it only has two stalls.
(4)michael jackson Q.
Do not miss a show here you will regret it in the morning. They book world class performers as well as local acts. Even though it isn't located downtown it is easy to get to, easy to park, etc. Overall it has a great SC vibe and an outdoor patio w/ an extra bar and food too.
(5)Linda C.
I've seen many great shows here. Small cozy venue with really good sound. The atmosphere is very laid back.The bartenders are nice and the bouncers don't seem to be all steroided out like some nightclubs.
(4)Eva S.
I am very dissapointed by how Moes Alley Staff handled a situation today. I got harassed by a guy, he pushed me really hard. They should have kicked him out of the venure, but they allowed him to be there, and simply asked me to get away from him. I was nervous and felt unsafe the rest of the time
(1)Mason H.
Great venue. Sounds good, and consistently solid acts booked -- including local bands. Lisa and Ashley are particularly great bartenders. Worthy visit for music fans.
(5)Jolie D.
Nice shows coming through here. Lots of dancing, which was awesome to see in a little spot. Drinks were dished up by 2 incredibly surly bartenders. Also, the sound guy was a bit stressed out, dealing with the first group today but after the show started, he chilled out a bit.
(4)Kat S.
Bartenders are constantly moving but ready to take your order with a smile. This is not the place to when you finally get the bartender's attention, figure out what you want or ask a million questions. The girls take no BS and it's a fast-paced dive bar on a busy night with a wide range of customers, but friendly, none the less. There's a patio area outside as well. Be sure to catch a live show if you can, the acoustics are AMAZING. We saw The Nth Power, who were absolutely phenomenal. The entire band is as tight as a knot but their hallmark is their drummer and lead vocals... What a night. We had a great time at Moe's. We'll definitely be back!
(5)See E.
My fiancé and I go here often for reggae music. There aren't many places in the San Jose area that offer reggae music....and Moe's Alley seems to always have at least one reggae band playing during the week. You walk in, the bar is to the right and the "dance floor" is to the left. Sure, it's pretty small, but I've never had any problems with it. There is a outside area connected to the club which I think it pretty cool. There are a couple tables out back to sit on and a couple bench areas. Great place to sit and talk ( it can get a little warm inside if you've been drinking), smoke, and eat (sometimes they have a food vender or a limited service bar.) We usually park across the street near the Toys R Us. I've never had any problems parking here.
(4)Jagjit C.
We have since returned to Moe's Alley this past friday after the incident of my wife being assaulted by a male patron and management doing nothing about it upon the reluctance of my wife. What happens? My wife orders a beer and gets sarcastically complimented on her "nice review" here on Yelp by none other than the female manager. Who did nothing to punish the male who assaulted my wife in the first incident. It just appalls me that a female manager would not stand up for the rights of their gender and me, being a male, has to do it. Thats another case, but to come back and immaturely make a sarcastic remark to the victim of the assault, inside your venue, that you manage, AND your a female is even worse. The rest of the staff was super awesome and we had a great time last night, have had amazing times in the past and will continue to have amazing times in the future. But this immature comment and situation needs to be remedied. I've been performing there as a musician before this current manager has been there as well as all my friends, local and professional (Pawn Shop Soul, Garage Mahal, Vinyl, Brownout, ALO, Red Baraat, many of the jam bands I have performed with to name a few) . I love this place. Great memories here. Great staff. But the way this situation is being handled is very immature by management and to make the victim of an assault in your own venue feel bad about writing a review in a situation that you did not want to handle or did nothing to remedy at the time is immature and dangerous for your venue for people who don't know the history of your amazing staff and venue. Anyone else would not be willing to talk about it and work it out like mature adults rather than make snide comments. They would have simply called law enforcement if it was not handled by the management. That being said, if the management is mature enough, you are welcome to contact me to talk about it or talk to me about it next time I'm in the venue or schedule a time to talk. I'm willing to talk about it rather than make comments in the background. As I will be there to see my musician friends playing there in the future for sure. Hopefully they won't get the same treatment as we are getting.
(1)John P.
Based purely on a 'seeing the band and listening to music' scale, this would be a ZERO star review. Was there for a popular jazzy-fusion performer (Victor Wooten and band), the place was packed, like sardines-standing-on-end-tight, and the audience was so damn noisy that we didn't hardly hear the show, never mind that it was electric loud. my wife has a bad knee, so we had to stay towards the back where there's a few stools, this didn't help one bit. maybe for a 'party band' kind of group, with a 50% capacity crowd so there would be room for dancing, I'd give it more stars, but for sit-down-and-listen kind of music, MOE'S BLOWS. they get 2 stars for having a decent enough bar, some good beers on tap, reasonable price for decent mixed drinks.
(2)A L.
This place is fantastic. One of the only places in Santa Cruz where you can dance and not get creeped. Saw a brass band here and it was so much fun.
(5)Sam R.
Smooth jazz, good drinks, small venue with a great crowd, what more needs to be said about Moe's Alley? Every band I head here was great.
(5)Edna V.
Super awesome. Live (and diverse) music, good drinks, plenty of parking across the street. Check it out.
(5)Yong Jae C.
In all the years that I lived in Santa Cruz I never been to Moe's Alley up until last week. My friend and I went to watch Anuhea who is an awesome vocalist from Hawaii. This is a fun venue with a full bar. The staff is friendly including the security. Typically bouncers at other bars think they're the s**t just because they can control who goes in and out. This is a small venue that showcases independent and up and coming musicians. With that said tickets are typically very reasonable ranging anywhere from $10-$15 per person. Because it's a small venue the stage is quite small too, which is fine because you get to experience an up close and personal show. Very convenient parking. You have to park your car across the street on the back portion of the lot of where Toys r' Us is located. But it's a small street and you can be at the bar within seconds of parking your car. I guess the crowd varies depending on the act. At least when I was there the crowd is very cool and friendly. Talked to a lot of people there for the Anuhea show and everyone was so super friendly. I would love to go back and watch other shows there.
(4)Gabi M.
So Moe's is cool n' all, but what gives with starting the bands soooooooooooo late? 2 hours late, really? how the heck can anyone try to be there to catch the whole gig. I know there are lots of stoners who can barely make it up off the couch to get there, maybe you are being polite for them or maybe it's the scheduled run-up-the-bar-tab time? Either way, pleez get a handle on it, I KNOW it's not the band's fault. Moe's is otherwise cool, nice lil patio, good beer decent prices, plenty of parking.
(3)Paige K.
Great space to see a show, saw Kabaka Pyramid there last night and it was fantastic. Drinks are a little on the expensive side, but a really cool spot.
(4)Jay B.
Came her to see some reggae bands this past weekend and I was really impressed. Growing up in the local scene in sacramento Ive seen more than my fair share of small clubs come and go, but Moe's isnt one of those clubs. Well worth the 3 hour drive to see John Brown Body here! Yes the club is small but they have plenty of space to move around, a nice out door patio with sound, and a back room for vendors. The sound here is great, nice, clean, loud bass, crips vocals, really good sound! The club is in a easy area to get to, and from what we saw it was clean and friendly. If you see a band is playing here and you live out of town, trust me, it is worth the drive to come see a show here!!!
(5)Groovy M.
Very bad place to hear anyone popular. It gets really crowded when there is someone popular playing, and it becomes really claustrophobic. Far worse is the noise from people conversing with their friends drowns out the band unless you are right in front of the stage. Sightlines are generally bad. The sound is really bad anywhere except right in front of the stage, and its so crowded near the stage we gave up and left. They have a cheap house PA that sounds pretty nasty, especially since the mix position is off axis... there is no way the mixer can hear the band properly from where he sits. Not a fun night out when the place is full, that's for sure. A good place to grab some drinks and hang with friends with some music in the background. A terrible place to go see any bands you actually like and want to hear!
(2)Stacy H.
Great divey place to see live music. I've seen everything from Michael Burks to Bone Shakers to Raining Jane here. The crowd is there to enjoy the music, and so am I. I would recommend eating before you go. Moe's is about the music, not the food. They do have a full bar. And a nice area to sit outside if you're so inclined.
(4)John O.
Very simple, no frills, down to earth venue in Santa Cruz. I heard about this place from a friend who went to UCSC. Not much to add to what has already been said. I bought tickets to listen to a salsa group from Cuba playing here. $10 per person at the door. The group was really good -- and as people eventually shuffled in, within an hour, the dance floor was packed with dancing Santa Cruzans (is this a word)? The drinks were standard price, served up stiff. What I love about Santa Cruz, is that you can basically dress down when you go out. You can' t do this in LA....folks were dressed in flannel shirts, flip flops, jeans.........comfortable dress. MY kinda dress! That's what makes Santa Cruz so friggin awesome......so laid back and unpretentious. This place definitely exudes Santa Cruz......(also considering the fact I smelt a little wacky tabacky midway through the set.......) The place is short 5 minute drive from downtown Santa Cruz. Do not hesitate to purchase cheap tickets/cover charge for a very cool place to see a show in SC.
(4)Mari R.
Best venue for live music in Santa Cruz, hands down. Good sound and plenty of room to dance. The bartenders get 5 stars, they always pour a great, strong drink & take good care of you. There is a nice outdoor patio area to smoke or cool off after dancing. But the food leaves much to be desired It's changed a lot from when it was a blues club years ago. But if you watch the schedule, you can still catch good blues bands every month. They are still involved with the Santa Cruz Blues Festival and throw a mean after-party every year. Shows are reasonably priced and you can buy your tickets on-line in advance. We are lucky to have Moe's Alley
(4)Amy W.
My favorite place to see music in Santa Cruz! An intimate venue, you can be comfortably close to the stage/artists. There's a great patio, so you can be outside & still enjoy the music. All kinds of awesome artists come through, happy to have this place in the hometown!
(5)T T.
I take away a star for all the scandalous rumors I hear about Moe's Alley & their compensation of artists... Aside from that, it is still an awesome venue, with lots of big names coming through. I like its intimacy. Sometimes it can get crazy packed, but even at shows like that, I can always get enough space to dance! Because it's so intimate, you sometimes get a chance to know the artists a little better. I've been invited to dinner and lunch after some shows, which is nice to feel noticed and appreciated. Oh, and everyone that works there is super cool as well (except the one short guy...not naming any names, but nobody likes him & he I think he knows it!)
(4)Timothy C.
I've been to two shows at Moe's and I enjoyed them both - but in totally different ways. The first was some blues band I don't even remember the name of and there were MAYBE 10 people at the show. There is just no way around the awkwardness of three guys playing for 10 people. But Moe's was clean and they had good beers on tap, and I thought the murals on the walls an ceiling were fun, so I put a mental bookmark at Moe's to return when there were more people for another show. FLASH-FORWARD to 2011 One of my buddies is in an Irish folky band and they played at Moe's the day before St Paddys Day. This time there were maybe 60 people at the start of their show and at least 100 by the end. The place was rocking! There was a $10 charge for the concert, but it was worth it for the Wild Rover's CD release party. Huge plusses for Moe's: - Plenty of places to set your drink down. I felt like everywhere I stood someone had thought to put a little shelf - around pillar, along the sound board enclosure, along the walls. - The patio outside. A place to smoke without leaving, space heaters, tables, lighted, with trash cans and another mural. - The bartender was friendly and prompt and professional. I think she was the only person working the bar and cleaning the room and she totally held the fort down. My wife said her whisky sour was good - I enjoyed a Guinness and a Longboard on tap. - Eclectic crowd: In attendance, hippie girl with almost a whole pheasant's worth of feathers in her hair, old ladies doing jigs, a man whose only dance move could be described as "drying my hands without towels," hippie trying to start her own conga line but no one ever joined, a guy with a top-of-head ponytail, nurses from Dominican, and plenty of people, young and old, looking for a drink after work or to celebrate Irish culture. I HAVE to write a bit about the other band that played - Dublin to Dehli. We stayed just to see what their music would sound like. From their site: "Where else are you going to see kick ass fiddle players rocking out with a kilt-wearing Korean flanked by two bouncing Bhangra percussionists and a vocalist who looks like he would be at home in a Bollywood music video?" HAHA yes!!! Anyways, I enjoyed my time at Moe's
(4)Christine T.
Funk*a*licious, the term I use to describe Moe's. Diverse and unpretentious with an intimate vibe. We want the funk, gotta have more funk... please ms.booking agent..
(5)Jackee K.
I went to this bar (last night, actually) to see the B Side Players, great show! Now as for the bar itself, it's pretty big: has a large inside potion, with a dance floor, and some seating areas, and there is a large outdoor porch region with a small bar and FOOD (I didn't have any, but it's always nice to know it's there). The bar service was very quick and friendly, and the clientele were all pretty nice people (nothing's worse than being in a bar with a bunch of idiots). And of course, like at every bar hosting a live show, they had their very own Captain Tries Too Hard. It was definitely your typical Santa Cruz crowd, very mixed bunch of people for sure. The ladies room is small, two stalls but people seem to have their shit together and don't take forever (except for the one girl who pooed, yes we all know you did). Yes, we did smell reefer (as one previous reviewer mentioned), the smell became especially strong when they played "Could You Be Loved." All in all, a very entertaining place, I would definitely go back there.
(4)Stephen R.
This venue is only half way decent. The staff is awesome and they are doing well with what they have to work with; I just don't know how they deal with the owner who is a giant douche. I play with a San Francisco based band who brought a large international headliner to Moe's and, naturally, opened the show for them. We had to drive 5 cars down from SF to haul equipment, (equipment that Moe's should have bad, basic guitar, bass and piano amps, drum set). So we are there with all our stuff, drawing a good crowd, getting paid less then would cover our gas but we're happy... Until the owner cuts our set short, makes a big scene; he cut us off right on schedule, we had 10 min left in our set list but common, its a reggae show with only two bands, and the headliner had just got there. That's just rude and ungrateful, especially with all things considered (our crowd, our equipment, busy on a Tuesday). He then refuses us access to the green room, and makes even more a scene. Like I said, giant douche. I can't support a place that is owned by someone like this. We were trying to do a more personal show but I guess we'll just book the Catalyst next time.
(1)Ryan B.
It's pretty much as close as you get to a show at a house party with awesome acoustics/sound. Moe's brings in some talented performers to entertain here on their way to and fro LA and SF. Mostly caters to the jazz, reggae, etc crowd. Full bar with great service! Drinks range from $4-$7 which is about average in comparison to bars and other music venues. If you need to grab some fresh air or are the burner type, there is a full outdoor patio with speakers. Definitely top music venue in Santa Cruz area.
(5)Frank H.
Saw a good band yesterday...again. The venue is ok to nice but a little dark and run down. Surely the owner could afford some base necessities like a few more chairs in the back, etc. Did like the bar - good drinks and price was right. My only rub is the entry price ($25 at the door was a little steep) and the hat wearing old ex-hippie dude at the door is a jerk. Seriously he needs to lighten up and recognize he is not God. Once we wanted to check inside with nobody around and he refused, "pay and don't cross that line". If he wasn't there, this would get 4 stars from me.
(3)Tammie W.
I honestly love Moe's and have had a good time at every show I've gone there. Yes, the decor is early church cellar / hole in the wall, but its intimate. I've actually been able to chat with acts between sets and for a musician, its cool to be able to walk up to the stage, chat up the performers and check out the gear. I've seen everyone from the Bx3 tour to Truth and Salvage and the Knitters. The drinks are stiff as someone else mentioned and reasonably priced. They carry the standard Santa Cruz bar beer selection and nice mixed drink options. Tickets for even well know acts are reasonable and they tend to have off beat and eclectic bands. For a great night out, its the best deal around.
(5)Amanda K.
I've only seen one show here but it's a great venue for live music. The crowd was a lot of fun and the bartenders were really nice.
(4)Cate G.
Chech out their live music nights! Rockin good times and good drink specials...
(4)MIKE A.
This is the Best Venue for Live Shows. It has a Big Dance Floor and chairs on ths side, but you wont be sitting down at this place. I went here for a Funky Jazz show by Big Sams Funky Nation and they FReakin Ripped Shitt Up. OMG me and my Girl Were Boogying all night long. Live Drums,guitar,keyboard,trumpet, and trombone. It was like dancing to Live Break Beats! The crowd was awesome we were the only asians in the building,but everybody had SOUL and was just dancing the night away. Noone cares what you do as long as your Shakin Ur BOOTAY! There was this like 60 year old man dancing like he was 18 years old all night and didn't stop. Santa Cruz knows how to party. No Drama ALL FUN! The crowd was so Hype that when BSFN left the stage we were all yelling ENCORE ENCORE. After like 5 minutes of nonstop YELling. Sure Enough they came out and played 1 more song and each person did a SOLO! The Bartenders make drinks strong and there is a big patio to hang out at. In and outs. Cheap Cover. If u got soul and like the Funk or wanna listen to REggae or anything else. check the lineup and see who is coming and im sure you won't be Dissapointed!
(5)Vallora S.
One of the last places in see live music intimately in Santa Cruz. However, they can use a better wine selection, come on this is California.
(5)Jenny S.
Great venue with many styles of musicians coming through. A little far off from Downtown Santa Cruz, but definitely worth the drive. The reason we gave it four stars is because it is a small venue and can get really crowded and hard to dance if it is. The good new is that they have a huge patio and you can dance outside if you like. Also, Conscious Creations serves food on the patio during shows, great healthy, organic food. All around, one of the best music venues in Santa Cruz
(4)Mark P.
My best friend and I went to see a reggae show here. Although we were a little out of place in terms of age and style and tried to sneak in my friends teenage son the staff couldn't have been nicer.. The teenager didn't get in but they were good about it. Although the venue looks like a house it actually is a pretty good place to see a show. The sound system is good and it is easy to find a nice view of the band. We saw the I Grade Review with Tuff LIon, Danny I, Abja and Volcano..Tuff Lion talked to us a little and is extremely nice guy in addition to being a fine guitarist..We had a great time.
(5)Samantha S.
What a kick-butt place! The whole place was totally rockin out to B-Side Players this weekend! The small venue really helps create an awesome vibe and they bring some great live bands. Everyone was dancing and having an awesome time. Park on the street, not in the Toys-R-Us parking lot (where the security guard feels a personal responsibility to protect "his parking lot").
(5)Wayne P.
I love this place. I saw Johnny Winter here last year. It was an excellent show. Last night I saw Southern Culture on the Skids. Once again an excellent show. The place is extremely casual. It is kind of hard to get a drink, only 2 bar tenders and they were swamped all night. The price of admission was a steal, 15 bucks per ticket. Watching the crowd was almost as entertaining as the show. There were some real freaky people there last night....
(4)Randy V.
The owner is an idiot. We waited in line for 2 hour so we could get good seats only for him to move us for his buddies--not cool. No place to sit.they cant even afford a couple of chairs. Will never go back.
(1)J R.
Went there for a Michelle Shocked concert a few months ago. Seating is quite limited, bad sight lines, odd arrangement. But they get some very good performers.
(3)Hunter R.
Moe's Alley has been a fantastic venue over the years, featuring music from that includes great Blues, Salsa, Reggae and more. The space is amazing for a live show and gives everyone a wonderful sense of energy. Show prices are some of the best you will find for the acts they feature. This is a great place and Santa Cruz is so lucky to have Moe's. The drinks are wonderful (not watered down) and the dancing goes on forever.
(5)wildhippychile d.
So there's just something damned special about a place so intimate, so small (and yet, with such awesome acoustics), where you can interact (read: flirt) with the band as well as with your fellow patrons. My girls recently treated me to a birthday at Moe's, and I had the pleasure of dancing my ass off, with a blackberry kamikaze firmly in hand (I think it was blackberry -- I know it was (i) a kamikaze; (ii) strong as heck; and (iii) only $6.50 all night), while making eyes with the band members. I tease, I tease, because the B-Side Players are all so damned fine -- and more importantly NICE -- but I had one of the best birthdays I've ever had in my adult life at Moe's this past weekend... And I seriously doubt that I'm going to wait until my NEXT birthday to head straight back for another night of low-key, musically-charged fun!
(5)Tyler D.
Great venue. Good roster and reasonable prices. Very intimate, with reasonably good sound. DEFINITELY worth checking out a show here.
(5)Chris S.
Best mid sized music venue in the area. Quality local acts and established touring acts make this my favorite place to see music, locally. The volume is too loud at most shows though...especially when the venue is packed. I never makes sense to me that a sound person doesn't realize that the volume is painful. Stiff and reasonably priced drinks are standard.
(4)Florence D.
Finally! A small, local venue to see great shows. No pressure to dress up, no awkwardness if you dress it up a bit either. I felt like I knew everyone there, and felt even more glad to get away from the college town scene downtown. I caught a fantastic reggae show here recently. The entire audience (which consisted of all kinds of peeps) was so into the music- nobody stopped moving once the music started.The large dance floor was packed and jammin' the entire time. Even better, this place has live music 6 out of 7 nights a week. Heads up: It was pretty cold inside even though I was moving to the music the entire evening!
(5)Anna S.
I love Moe's!!! They have great music and dancing. A little bit of a dive bar though.
(4)Daddy O.
Moe's Alley is great. It's a small-ish venue, and fills up fast for the good local shows. That just means you need to prepare in advance if you know it's going to be a busy night. That said, the real boon of Moe's Alley isn't so much the venue itself, but the crowd it draws. An eclectic mix of hippies, hipsters, rock-a-billies, and throw in a few bikers and yuppies for good measure and you've got a typical night at Moe's. The floor is usually accommodating enough to allow for people to dance. Chances are if you get into the music, you'll be moving to it.
(5)Robert A.
Great place, love the outdoor patio as an option...layout could be better, however, but not much you can do about that...
(4)Sanity C.
Moe's Alley has good music from time to time, but the problem is that when it is crowded, the sound sucks in there. Also, if it is crowded, you might end up standing near the bar and you've got people shouting to one another over the music. They don't answer the phone after 8:00 PM and there's no way of knowing if the show is sold out at the door or not. That is just crappy management. I do to shows there, but only because they sometimes get some really good artists there.
(2)Lauren S.
I have serious love for Moe's Alley. Its a tiny venue, with surprisingly good sound. I've seen many great acts there, from Hamsa Lila to Brett Dennen, great reggae and hip-hop shows for reasonable prices. My real favourite part is that they let Convergence foods set up shop in the back, really quality vegan/veggie food and deserts. I'm not either of those, but they still make BOMB, hearty and healthy foods, and even serve whole baby coconuts with straws if youre not in the mood to drink alcohol :) The guy at the door is a total a dick if you rub him the wrong way. Parking is no issue cause they have the entire Toys 'R Us lot.
(5)Trinity G.
Great music, Great Dancing, Low Key, No Fuss. sclocalgirl.blogspot.com
(5)Mimi S.
Moe's Alley as a venue: 5 stars. But I got drunk really fast (thanks no dinner) and competed with a 50 year old woman. A RICH 50 year old woman on a harley for the attentions of the guitarist from the opening band. carelesshearts.com fuck me. Don't you hate it /slash/ love it when a good friend says "Maybe you should go home now and gargle with bleach."
(4)Jeanne B.
This is an excellent place to see intimate shows. I have stood directly in front of Sonny Landreth and watched him pick beneath his slide. (It was breathtaking.) This is also a great place to get lost in a crowd dancing. It is a wonderful dancefloor for swing dancing. It is many things to many people. There is absolutely nothing pretentious about this place, not a stitch. However, for me, what makes this joint stand out is this one female bartender. She makes the most exceptional Sidecar I've had in Santa Cruz county. Not sweet, just tart enough. You can taste the fresh lime and you can taste the brandy. Perfection.
(4)debbie h.
We went to Moe's to see Samabada. I had never heard of them, and I will never forget them. They are an amazing Brazilian band full of energy and life. The lead singer is a hawty and the female vocalist knows how to shake her groove thang. In fact there was not a person inside not shaking their bon bon. The venue is sticky and I didn't have the liberty of using the facilities (I am not at liberty to discuss where/how that may or may not have occurred). When we got home everyone showered before crawling into bed...that should give ya some perspective. The stickiness was probably due to lack of ventilation, The dance floor was like a sauna and the perspiration caused stench was reminiscent of the Metro in Paris. By the way, the margaritas were really good and reasonably priced. I can report no hangover this morning thanks to my friend Cazadores.
(4)Jon M.
We went to the Marc Broussard show here and loved the intimate setting that Moe's provides. I'm not too keen on the columns in the middle of the room, but they are needed to support the beams/roof. The place is right off the freeway and easy to find. There is plenty of parking in the Toys 'R' Us parking lot across the street.
(4)jezebel s.
My favorite venue. Very intimate. I can't complain about anything other than having to buy your tickets ahead of time because it's small and cozy. Tixs sell outt too fast. Worst feeling is hearing a bad ass artist from the parking lot.
(5)John G.
Moe's Alley is pretty great. They often bring in reggae legends from yesteryear (which I love), and the place has a very intimate sound and ambiance.Lately, they've started to bring in some newer reggae icon, too, which is great. The Queen ifrica show from summer 2011 was amazing. Plus, sometimes they have a rotatiting selection of food vendors in the back who often have some really delicious cuisine. Be warned though, that shows often start late... very late sometimes. Highly recommended.
(5)Luna M.
Saw the Mighty Diamonds- great experience. Nice bartenders, nice patio- loved to kick it in the back corner for a smoke break, good music!
(5)Pumpkin K.
Moe's is a good venue, I'm consistently surprised at the quality of the acts they get to play here considering how small a venue it is. You can get some snacks from a little kitchen outside, and the line at the bar is never outrageous. Some shows are a little heavy on the twirlers. They like to get right up in front of the stage and just let lose. Sometimes they bug, but I don't hate because I know it's been hard for them since Jerry died.
(4)Vicky T.
some of the best graduation parties were here-- fond, fond memories of yester-years. Outside area is chill and nice and toasty...their drinks aren't half bad.. never a probably with parking-- great if you like intimate shows... saw a few good hip hop/reggae shows there.
(5)Maxwell S.
This dive bar in the middle of nowhere has some great shows. I went a couple days ago and I saw Karl Denson play. Denson is one of the premier saxophone players around. The band was incredible, and believe it or not the drummer didn't have hands --- craziness. They were one of the best jam bands I've ever seen. Anyway, at Moe's you'll find a crowd that embodies all the stereo-types associated with Santa Cruz. Lots of kids and middle aged adults smoking pot on the back deck without anyone even raising an eyebrow. The drinks are awesome and really inexpensive.
(5)Mitchelle M.
At first glance you would never think this was a hot spot. Don't let looks deceive you! We came here to see Sambada and were surprised with the amazing energy. The waitress came by often to check if we were okay on drinks as well as kept on bringing us water (avoiding a hang overs). Crowed is super chill and you don't have to worry about creepy guys picking up on you.
(5)chris o.
I saw Sour Grass here and it was awesome! Great venu, great staff and the best music!!!
(5)Jonny Q.
This is a great little gem. Place has great sound, good drinks and very intimate. Get there real early if you want a seat, otherwise you're standing the whole night. That's the only negative thing, minimal seating.
(4)Carl S.
Anytime the Red Elvises are in the bay area or central coast, this is my choice of venues to see them at! Drink specials are great, good beer selection, ample seating, AND ample dance-floor space. Parking can be a little tricky since the lot attached to the club is small and you're "not allowed to park in the lot across the street" ;)
(5)Brian H.
What's not to love about this place? They book great bands, it sounds great, it's intimate but not too cramped, and the staff is friendly... Decent food, and a nice patio too. Best place to see music in Santa Cruz (since Palookaville closed down, RIP...). Much better than the Crapalyst. Usually a great crowd too. Seen a ton of great shows here over the past 5 years or so...
(5)Andrew B.
Moe's is a great club that attracts talent that by far exceeds the confines of the club. So what you get is an intimate setting, good sound, and great views from wherever you are...unless you're vby the bathrooms, but you've got no business back there when there's music going on. They have a nice heated patio too, smoker.
(5)Jen A.
I have seen so many great shows here, let loose and watched others get DOWN. Bartenders are cool, the staff are all great and they book great bands. I have NEVER had a bad experience in Moe's. yep...5 stars! The only advice I do have is do not leave any valuables in your car or put them in the trunk if you park in the Toy's R Us
(5)Shari D.
Moe's Alley is the place to see new talent, as well as some tried and true local talent... It's a small venue, but where every seat is a good one. They have a good, comfortable vibe here, and an outdoor area for those of you who smoke. In cooler weather, they have heat lamps set up in the patio area so you don't freeze your tushy off. Drinks are decently priced and not watered down, and there's plenty of parking in the area. All in all, the only problem I ever had with it is that you really can't fit too many people in there, so that when they have a really popular band, it's SUPER crowded and hard to reach the bar. That's my only complaint, though. I like this place a lot!
(4)Jeremy S.
This venue has a great atmosphere, the setup is open and it seems like a great place to hear live music and get great drinks. However I am not sure if its they policy to regularly charge their customers a 50$ "pre-authorization charge" when using a credit/debit card. The actual receipt was a carbon copy one and it takes the transaction a couple of days to go through. This was very inconvenient for me since I am a student and don't really like to see 50$ chucks taken out of my already dismal bank account. Actually I was lucky to not have gotten an over-draft fee. Besides this one seemingly needless charge the venue was good and had great beer on tap, just try to pay cash.
(3)Greycella L.
Hands down the best place to go dancing in Santa Cruz. They've obviously put the money into their accoustics and equipment because the sound quality far surpasses any bar in the area. Drinks aren't too expensive and there's generally a pretty good vibe going on, ecclectic mix of people. Only bummer is it's location. I left my car in the parking lot there once so I could bike home guilt-free and got pulled over by a cop ON MY BIKE. Nothing came of it, but given when the bus stops running figuring out a designated driver or splitting a cab fare is essential if you're going to hit this place up.
(4)Tracey W.
I really like the atmosphere at Moe's. It's nice and dark and the music is great. The bartenders have a good hand with the drinks. Be warned though, the police are aswarm in the parking lot after the show. Be very very careful. Which you should be anyway, but I'm just sayin....
(4)Leslie H.
You just need to know what you're looking for. When I went, the music was amazing, sound quality great, and lots of energy. The bartenders were all that one wants--friendly, quick, responsive. But I found the crowd disappointingly heterogeneous--a typical Santa Cruz mix of older hippies, baby boomers, and a few surfers and retro hippies. Where's the diversity?
(4)Samantha M.
I've seen a couple good shows there over the years. But the atmosphere is very dark, and the crowd that hangs there is pretty dried up and lifeless.
(2)Ray E.
As good as it gets in Santa Cruz, always a great variety of shows that come through here, mellow atmosphere and a nice outdoor patio area.
(5)